Conserving the DeHart Property - Kittatinny...
Transcript of Conserving the DeHart Property - Kittatinny...
Conserving the DeHart Property
November 3, 2016
Primary source of drinking water for the City of Harrisburg and portions of Penbrook Borough and Susquehanna and Lower Paxton Townships
• Located in Rush, Jefferson, Middle Paxton Twps.
• Clarks Creek is the source• Built in 1940s• Holds 6 billion gallons• 5-mile long reservoir• Surrounded by forested property
Timeline
2014CRW approached with request to
purchase 384 acres by PGC via TCF
using ACUB funds
Jan. – Feb. 2015Public
presentations and 3-week public
comment period
CRW Board rejects Agreement of Sale.
Requests evaluation of management options and
recommended next steps
April 2015CRW issues RFPs for 1) a boundary survey
2) a forest stewardship plan
3) conservation legal services
May 2015TNC/WBWF
proposal takes
shape
August 2015
Consulting Engineer engaged, pre-
acquisition tasks begin, negotiations
underway
March 2015Staff continues evaluation of
management options. Decision to move
forward with FSP and SWP Plan
Convenes TNC/WBWF to consider an ACUB funded conservation easement proposal in
recognition of necessary
management conditions
March- April 2016
Public presentations of conservation
proposal and 3-week public comment
period
CRW Board votes in favor of a Purchase and Sale Agreement
for the DeHart Property
Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB)
What & Why
Since 2002, The Department of Defense’s REPI (Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration) program has authorized U.S. military installations to enter into agreements with State or Local governments or private conservation organizations to address development concerns and encroachment on lands neighboring the installation.
The United States Army’s version of this program, the ACUB (Army Compatible Use Buffer) program, has been used to protect multiple National Guard training Installations from encroachment.
Encroachment is defined as urban development surrounding military installations that affects the ability of the military to train realistically. Encroachment restricts the Army’s ability to operate installations & training areas. It changes the pattern of land use and habitat growth and impedes the Army’s ability to train Soldiers.
Agreement Conditions
The following conditions must be met :
• CRW retains property ownership, including oil/gas/mineral/timber rights
• Perpetual conservation agreement (ie. restriction or easement)
• Both CRW and third party maintain enforcement authority of conservation agreement
• Maintain hunting/hiking through the PA Game Commission Cooperative Game Agreement
• Respects Trust Indentures and efficient operation of the water system
• Minimal interference with CRW operations
Management Approach Evaluation
Scenario 1 2 3 4
Approach “Do Nothing” “Deed Restriction” “Sale” “Conservation Easement”
Ownership CRW CRW Other CRW
Management / Enforcement CRW CRW Other CRW & Partner
Potential Revenue Source Timbering & Carbon Timbering & Carbon One Time Payment Timbering & Carbon & Compensation
Total Revenue – One timber cycle
(timber, carbon, land sale values)
$4 - $12 Million $4 - $12 Million $6-$20 Million $4 - $20 Million
Potential Revenue – Two Timber
Cycles
$8 - $24 Million $8 - $24 Million $6 - $20 Million $8 - $36 Million
Benefit/Cost Ratio 1/2 = 0.5 2/2 = 1 1/2 = 0.5 3/1 = 3
Rank 3 2 3 1
What was proposed?
Utilizing Fort Indiantown Gap Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB) Program funds, Capital Region Water will partner with the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation and The Nature Conservancy to grant a conservation easement on the 8,200-acre DeHart Watershed Property.
The conservation easement will protect the property’s natural, scenic, forested and open space condition. Thereby, protecting water quality, regional conservation significance, and the military mission of FTIG.
Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation
50U.S. state chapters
countries
35
120MMacres of land
protected
3,700/550
employees/
scientists
5,000river miles
protected
100Marine conservation
projects in 21 countries &
all U.S. coastal states
active members1mm+
1,400preserves managed
WORKING WOODLANDSHOW IT WORKS
CERTIFIED
FOREST
MANAGEMENT
• Forest inventory
• 10 yr. Assessment and plan
• FSC certification
LONG-TERM
FOREST
PROTECTION• Working forest conservation easements
ECOSYSTEM
VALUE
ASSESSMENT
• Improved forest management carbon
potential
Public Comment – by the numbers• 2 public meetings/hearings as well as
additional information discussions with critical stakeholders such as CRW’s Community Ambassadors, Source Water Protection partners, and the PA Game Commission
• 8 media hits
• 8,400 reached on social media
• 1,500 via direct email, including previous commenters
• 62 comments received
• 31 customers and 8 organizations
• 46 comments were in support
• 5 comments in opposition
• 11 comments were without express support or opposition
• All comments were made publically available
http://capitalregionwater.com/dehartproposal
Stewardship Principles
Water: Preserve and/or enhance the high quality drinking water by improving the capacity of the system to produce the resource. Watershed security must also be maintained to insure the safety of the supply. Critical riparian buffer zones must be maintained and established as necessary. All water resources on the property must be recognized, including any springs, tributaries, and wetlands. In addition, the plan must complement existing operations and source water protection efforts that provide drinking water to nearly 67,000 people.
Revenue: Improve the capacity of the watershed and downstream properties to produce carbon-friendly revenue options. Revenue streams will allow CRW to enhance and protect the asset. This includes sustainable timber harvesting and monetizing of ecosystem services.
Ecosystem health: Maintain and enhance long-term ecosystem health and viability. Identify and conserve high priority conservation areas, contribute to the conservation of biological diversity and habitat, and actively manage the property for resiliency to withstand threats (invasive species, storms, insect invasions, changing climate).
Compliance and recordkeeping: Ensure any active management of the property exceeds any federal, state and local requirements and best practices. Implementation of the plan must be monitored and documented with incremental benchmarks.
Timeline
2014CRW approached with request to
purchase 384 acres by PGC via TCF
using ACUB funds
Jan. – Feb. 2015Public
presentations and 3-week public
comment period
CRW Board rejects Agreement of Sale.
Requests evaluation of management options and
recommended next steps
April 2015CRW issues RFPs for 1) a boundary survey
2) a forest stewardship plan
3) conservation legal services
May 2015TNC/WBWF
proposal takes
shape
August 2015
Consulting Engineer engaged, pre-
acquisition tasks begin, negotiations
underway
March 2015Staff continues evaluation of
management options. Decision to move
forward with FSP and SWP Plan
Convenes TNC/WBWF to consider an ACUB funded conservation easement proposal in
recognition of necessary
management conditions
March- April 2016
Public presentations of conservation
proposal and 3-week public comment
period
CRW Board votes in favor of a Purchase and Sale Agreement
for the DeHart Property
Next Steps
Next Steps
Questions/Comments